Chicago - Lower west Side
Oct 17th, 2006, 12:30 PM
#21
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We lived in an apt in Berwyn for ll years, we left there 9 years ago. When we were there, every so often there would be a spate of car window smashings. And, believe me, street parking was not fun. If we went out to eat on a Saturday night, it was not unusual for us to have to carry our kids a block or two when we got home because we couldn't find a closer parking space.
It's a very residential area. And there are lots of two and three flat apts. Offhand, I can't think of any industry in Berwyn. Cicero, yes, but not Berwyn. My guess is that Berwyn has gotten worse rather than better in the years since we left.
I hate to say it, but if you're that worried about your truck, you may have to move farther out and commute in by train or el. If that's possible in the area where you'll be working.
It's a very residential area. And there are lots of two and three flat apts. Offhand, I can't think of any industry in Berwyn. Cicero, yes, but not Berwyn. My guess is that Berwyn has gotten worse rather than better in the years since we left.
I hate to say it, but if you're that worried about your truck, you may have to move farther out and commute in by train or el. If that's possible in the area where you'll be working.
Oct 17th, 2006, 01:10 PM
#22
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Oh there is industry in Berwyn, but much more hidden. My friend has a rubber industrial matting shop there.
But you are SO correct about the parking, CAPH52. I know people who also have been towed off the main streets and from private lots by Lalo's.
Humboldt Park, nacar02zp, is narrow city streets. REread Vittrad's post. She is actually understating, and very polite. It's because those of us who actually tramp through lots of "not good" areas within Chicago get flamed here for saying what we see. Your truck would be a stand out, of that I am sure.
I do think you need to see the difference yourself between a dense city neighborhood, where a house or apartment building might only have a 35 foot frontage- to understand that what your requirements are might not be easily attained in the 10 mile circle. And Humboldt Park can have extremely bad blocks, and much better blocks- but it is city, city. It has no resemblence to a Northern suburb of Detroit.
With your truck, and your expectations, you just sound more like a green suburban person to me. I could be all wrong.
But you are SO correct about the parking, CAPH52. I know people who also have been towed off the main streets and from private lots by Lalo's.
Humboldt Park, nacar02zp, is narrow city streets. REread Vittrad's post. She is actually understating, and very polite. It's because those of us who actually tramp through lots of "not good" areas within Chicago get flamed here for saying what we see. Your truck would be a stand out, of that I am sure.
I do think you need to see the difference yourself between a dense city neighborhood, where a house or apartment building might only have a 35 foot frontage- to understand that what your requirements are might not be easily attained in the 10 mile circle. And Humboldt Park can have extremely bad blocks, and much better blocks- but it is city, city. It has no resemblence to a Northern suburb of Detroit.
With your truck, and your expectations, you just sound more like a green suburban person to me. I could be all wrong.
Oct 17th, 2006, 02:00 PM
#23
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To echo a previous post, you do seem to be focusing a great deal on what your car needs and not the other aspects of living like a nearby grocery store or pharmacy.
As a transplanted Detroiter who used to commute from the Pointes to work in the Brightmoor neighborhood, let me make a few comments about cars in the city. I apologize about the length, but I’ve tried to explain these things to my car-obsessed friends in Detroit more briefly, but they just don’t seem to understand without all the details.
You don’t say in what area you currently live, but I’ll assume Oakland.
You also don’t say if you plan to drive to work or rely on public transit. While many people in the city own cars and use them regularly, many others rely on public transportation in whole or part. Because public transit is so extensive, many parts of the city are not exactly car-friendly. Many residential streets are narrow and one-way. Many of the major routes have parking restrictions during rush hour, snowfalls or for weekly street-sweeping.
As for on-street parking, you probably already know that a larger vehicle is a liability. If you’re picturing parking on a street like in Clawson or Troy, get rid of that notion. On many blocks there are few or no driveways. Cars are parked bumper-to-bumper with little space between.
If you’re familiar with the area in Detroit around Chadsey HS (between Michigan and McGraw west of Livernois), those streets resemble many of the ones here. If you don’t know it, take a trip down there and picture your truck parked along the curb while a truck from UPS or a furniture store or an ambulance makes its way through. Maybe the best example would be Proctor Street which is one-way and has several businesses mixed among the houses. If you’re there when the bakery is getting a delivery of beer and milk at the same time, you’ll see exactly what I mean.
Because of the limits on space, expect several small dings on doors and bumpers, bent mirrors and similar problems. It’s just part of living in a crowded city.
I have never encountered any street comparable to Telegraph or Woodward or Grosebeck in the city or close-in suburbs. The major streets are something more like Hoover or Livernois or Twelve Mile east of Greenfield. So if you plan to drive most places, plan extra time.
In lots of neighborhoods, the people who drive to work arrive home about 6 or 7 pm and if you’re much later than that, you’ll have to search for parking and probably walk a few blocks.
Because parking is at a premium, don’t expect to use a parking lot if you’re not going to patronize the business that owns it. Many tow or boot vehicles if you leave their property.
Having said all that, I kept my car after I moved to Chicago but it sits unused 3-4 days per week. If I didn’t have to make regular trips to Michigan, I probably would have sold it several years ago.
My advice is to contact a rental agent and tell him/her the amenities you want in an apartment. The car details will fall into place after that and eventually you’ll realize that the vehicle is not as vital as in Detroit. You may even enjoy walking to the store or a restaurant on a nice evening.
If you've never been here, I strongly suggest that you make a weekend trip to see what the different areas are like.
As a transplanted Detroiter who used to commute from the Pointes to work in the Brightmoor neighborhood, let me make a few comments about cars in the city. I apologize about the length, but I’ve tried to explain these things to my car-obsessed friends in Detroit more briefly, but they just don’t seem to understand without all the details.
You don’t say in what area you currently live, but I’ll assume Oakland.
You also don’t say if you plan to drive to work or rely on public transit. While many people in the city own cars and use them regularly, many others rely on public transportation in whole or part. Because public transit is so extensive, many parts of the city are not exactly car-friendly. Many residential streets are narrow and one-way. Many of the major routes have parking restrictions during rush hour, snowfalls or for weekly street-sweeping.
As for on-street parking, you probably already know that a larger vehicle is a liability. If you’re picturing parking on a street like in Clawson or Troy, get rid of that notion. On many blocks there are few or no driveways. Cars are parked bumper-to-bumper with little space between.
If you’re familiar with the area in Detroit around Chadsey HS (between Michigan and McGraw west of Livernois), those streets resemble many of the ones here. If you don’t know it, take a trip down there and picture your truck parked along the curb while a truck from UPS or a furniture store or an ambulance makes its way through. Maybe the best example would be Proctor Street which is one-way and has several businesses mixed among the houses. If you’re there when the bakery is getting a delivery of beer and milk at the same time, you’ll see exactly what I mean.
Because of the limits on space, expect several small dings on doors and bumpers, bent mirrors and similar problems. It’s just part of living in a crowded city.
I have never encountered any street comparable to Telegraph or Woodward or Grosebeck in the city or close-in suburbs. The major streets are something more like Hoover or Livernois or Twelve Mile east of Greenfield. So if you plan to drive most places, plan extra time.
In lots of neighborhoods, the people who drive to work arrive home about 6 or 7 pm and if you’re much later than that, you’ll have to search for parking and probably walk a few blocks.
Because parking is at a premium, don’t expect to use a parking lot if you’re not going to patronize the business that owns it. Many tow or boot vehicles if you leave their property.
Having said all that, I kept my car after I moved to Chicago but it sits unused 3-4 days per week. If I didn’t have to make regular trips to Michigan, I probably would have sold it several years ago.
My advice is to contact a rental agent and tell him/her the amenities you want in an apartment. The car details will fall into place after that and eventually you’ll realize that the vehicle is not as vital as in Detroit. You may even enjoy walking to the store or a restaurant on a nice evening.
If you've never been here, I strongly suggest that you make a weekend trip to see what the different areas are like.
Oct 17th, 2006, 03:08 PM
#24
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I do understand that the streets are very narrow and often difficult to get down. My intentions are to walk everywhere except to work. I intend, in the start at least, to drive my own truck. Later on I may switch over to public transportation once I get familiar with how things work. I currently live in Macomb Twp. so I am used to wide roads with 2 and 3 lanes going each way. I guess what I am trying to get out of an apartment is 1. someplace comfotable - 2 bedroom with lots of space. 2. something affordable - $1000 or below before utilities. 3. Someplace with a driveway or parking lot for my truck because I am aware that it is large and will be difficult to attempt to park on a busy street. I thank all of you guys and I apologize if I have sounded ungrateful or cross with you. I am 23 and this is my first apartment. I am 100% new to all of this. I also don't have too much money to get me started but I have an unbelievable good job offering coming to me and would be stupid to pass it up. So I do thank you all for your time with the posting trying to help me. Odds are I will most likly have to get a place out on Naperville or Glendale Heights untill I get used to things. I know I am trying to accomodate my truck probably way too much but I just don't want it stolen or broke into. I am not too worried about bumps and scratches. I just don't want to wake up and find it gone.
Oct 17th, 2006, 04:17 PM
#25
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warning...long post
nascar02zp - I'm also speaking as a former car owner who has lived in mostly pretty desirable neighborhoods. In the 5 years that I had a car I had it broken into 3 times, hit 3 times (the third time is what totaled it) and the tires slashed once … and folks, this was a 1991 Suburbu we are talking about here (I no longer have a car, and haven’t for awhile, and quite frankly my life has been much less stressful). I also know that the sort of apartment you are looking for is going to be a bit of a long shot, especially if you have specifications such as easy street parking (that is itself isn’t always easy to find) in an area where your car will not be a target. I also noticed that you mentioned some of the burbs, believe it or not, I’ve noticed that rentals in the nicer burbs tend to equal that of the city when looking online.
I don’t know if I can be of much help with the burbs though as I’ve not lived in them for 15 years (although I do have friends who live in Oak Park, and I think that is a very nice place, I also worked in Evanston about 5 years ago and liked it up there as well, but honestly, those suburbs as far as layout and density are pretty much equal to much of the city (except for the very crowded parts by the lakefront)… however it seems that my knowledge of a lot of them seems to decrease in direct proportion of the time period of when I got rid of my car (or rather my car got rid of me) because it is such a chore for me to get out there (oak park and Evanston are both easily accessible via public transportation). However, I think that you’ve gotten some good suggestions, and I think that if you are going to make Chicago work, there will have to be some sort of comprise that will take place, either in the amount of space you are wanting, the sort of neighborhood you will end up living in, or how much you’ll be able to accommodate your truck in relationship to all of this. A neighborhood you might want to look into which is similar in feel to the area down by Midway that has been discussed is Jefferson Park on the far northwest side it is a quieter neighborhood with big apartments popular with cops, however, that might not make for a fun commute.
nascar02zp - I'm also speaking as a former car owner who has lived in mostly pretty desirable neighborhoods. In the 5 years that I had a car I had it broken into 3 times, hit 3 times (the third time is what totaled it) and the tires slashed once … and folks, this was a 1991 Suburbu we are talking about here (I no longer have a car, and haven’t for awhile, and quite frankly my life has been much less stressful). I also know that the sort of apartment you are looking for is going to be a bit of a long shot, especially if you have specifications such as easy street parking (that is itself isn’t always easy to find) in an area where your car will not be a target. I also noticed that you mentioned some of the burbs, believe it or not, I’ve noticed that rentals in the nicer burbs tend to equal that of the city when looking online.
I don’t know if I can be of much help with the burbs though as I’ve not lived in them for 15 years (although I do have friends who live in Oak Park, and I think that is a very nice place, I also worked in Evanston about 5 years ago and liked it up there as well, but honestly, those suburbs as far as layout and density are pretty much equal to much of the city (except for the very crowded parts by the lakefront)… however it seems that my knowledge of a lot of them seems to decrease in direct proportion of the time period of when I got rid of my car (or rather my car got rid of me) because it is such a chore for me to get out there (oak park and Evanston are both easily accessible via public transportation). However, I think that you’ve gotten some good suggestions, and I think that if you are going to make Chicago work, there will have to be some sort of comprise that will take place, either in the amount of space you are wanting, the sort of neighborhood you will end up living in, or how much you’ll be able to accommodate your truck in relationship to all of this. A neighborhood you might want to look into which is similar in feel to the area down by Midway that has been discussed is Jefferson Park on the far northwest side it is a quieter neighborhood with big apartments popular with cops, however, that might not make for a fun commute.
Oct 17th, 2006, 05:00 PM
#26
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And one other thing, I understand that you like your truck, but as someone who has trolled the city streets for countless hours of my life looking for parking, people who had huge trucks and SUVs became very annoying to me, in fact, I believe the city now requires a more expensive city sticker for larger vehicles as they take up so much space on the street (driving the rest of us in smaller cars batty while we look for spaces to park).
Oct 17th, 2006, 07:00 PM
#28
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Well I do have a few apartments in mind that I intend to look at. I figure at this point when I go to see if I have my new job, on Friday, I am going to go see the apartments in person and take a look at them. I am also going to take a look at the neighborhoods and see what they look like. If they are run down or look un-welcoming I will probably not move there. But if they look nice and I like the area, I am just going to bite the bullet and move there. After talking with a few friends, It is just a truck and hey, if it gets hit, thats what I have full coverage insurance for.
Oct 17th, 2006, 07:14 PM
#29
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Something no mentioned so faz - my daughter has to pay for a sticker that allows her to park on the street in her neighborhood. No sticker - get towed. She is a cop and her vehicles have been broken into! I lived in Elgin and took the train to work because parking was so darned expensive - if you could find it. And good luck finding a 2-bedroom for the money you are looking at spending. You have been getting very good advice. Listen to it.
Back in the 80s, a young man from WV was offered a job in Elgin, Illinois @ $18,000 per year and thought he had hit the royal jackpot until he discovered the cost of living was such that living in Elgin even, he could barely exist on that $18,000. Today is the same, the numbers are just bigger since then.
Suggestion, leave the truck with your folks for a while until you get on your feet and find out what it is really like living in Chicago on the salary you will be getting. Use public transpotation until you have yourself settled and know your expenses and more about what YOU require in a living space that would include your truck.
Back in the 80s, a young man from WV was offered a job in Elgin, Illinois @ $18,000 per year and thought he had hit the royal jackpot until he discovered the cost of living was such that living in Elgin even, he could barely exist on that $18,000. Today is the same, the numbers are just bigger since then.
Suggestion, leave the truck with your folks for a while until you get on your feet and find out what it is really like living in Chicago on the salary you will be getting. Use public transpotation until you have yourself settled and know your expenses and more about what YOU require in a living space that would include your truck.
Oct 17th, 2006, 07:53 PM
#30
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If you're working at near Ashland and Cermak, you're going to want to live southwest of there. The commute from the north will be a nightmare, even more so from the northwest. Check out Countryside. Nice suburb, wide streets, low crime, affordable, lots of apartments, near the Stevenson, which should get you to work in about 1/2 an hour. It may be just about the perfect place to settle at first, then you can take your time looking around different neighborhoods.
Oct 17th, 2006, 07:57 PM
#31
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Take the Stevenson out to LaGrange Road and head north. You can't miss it, after a mile or so of forest preserves, you'll be surrounded by shopping centers and car dealerships. North of Joliet Road, take a right on any side street. There are a lot of apartments scattered around that area.
Oct 18th, 2006, 02:53 AM
#32
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Where is the best place to look for apartments? I have checked on Apartments.com but they just seem to have the large complexes. What about the smaller iner city apartments? What website is the best to find all of these? Thanks
Oct 18th, 2006, 06:21 AM
#34
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This is a link for all the rentals that are advertised thru the Chicago suburban newspapers.
http://tinyurl.com/yye9v8
http://tinyurl.com/yye9v8
Oct 18th, 2006, 07:14 AM
#35
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In addition to the inconvenience of owning a car, someone alluded to the costs. While I hated when my own parents gave me this lecture but, be sure to look at all the associated costs of living in Chicago.
Check the price of car insurance in the areas you're hoping to live. You could go to one of the online sites like Progressive and get a quote to give you an idea.
In addition to that, license plates in Illinois are $75 per year. Most cities in the area also require that you buy a windshield sticker. You don't have to do anything for the sticker, it's simply the fact that you own a vehicle and live within that city. Some of the suburbs are nominal ($10-$20 range). Chicago charges $75 per year unless your vehicle is over 4,500 lbs then it's $90.
If you move to an area of Chicago where parking restricted to residents only, that's another sticker and another $25 per year. So, you've spent $175 and haven't even put the truck in gear.
Between Christmas 2005 and mid-September I never paid less than $3.20/gallon for gas.
As you're used to paying 6% sales tax in Michigan, get used to Illinois' 6.25%. On top of that, Cook County adds 1.25% and Chicago adds 1% unless you're buying food at a restaurant when the city adds 1.25%.
It may sound like I'm knocking the city, but I'm not. I think it's a great place, but it all comes at a cost and not all of them are readily apparent.
Check www.transitchicago.com. You can learn a little about the transit system in the city. Ashland Avenue has a major bus line. For commuter trains to the suburbs check www.metrarail.com.
Finally, have you considered rooming with someone? Several friends of mine began here that way. It helped them cut costs and also gave them a close source of information about the city. Good luck with the move.
Check the price of car insurance in the areas you're hoping to live. You could go to one of the online sites like Progressive and get a quote to give you an idea.
In addition to that, license plates in Illinois are $75 per year. Most cities in the area also require that you buy a windshield sticker. You don't have to do anything for the sticker, it's simply the fact that you own a vehicle and live within that city. Some of the suburbs are nominal ($10-$20 range). Chicago charges $75 per year unless your vehicle is over 4,500 lbs then it's $90.
If you move to an area of Chicago where parking restricted to residents only, that's another sticker and another $25 per year. So, you've spent $175 and haven't even put the truck in gear.
Between Christmas 2005 and mid-September I never paid less than $3.20/gallon for gas.
As you're used to paying 6% sales tax in Michigan, get used to Illinois' 6.25%. On top of that, Cook County adds 1.25% and Chicago adds 1% unless you're buying food at a restaurant when the city adds 1.25%.
It may sound like I'm knocking the city, but I'm not. I think it's a great place, but it all comes at a cost and not all of them are readily apparent.
Check www.transitchicago.com. You can learn a little about the transit system in the city. Ashland Avenue has a major bus line. For commuter trains to the suburbs check www.metrarail.com.
Finally, have you considered rooming with someone? Several friends of mine began here that way. It helped them cut costs and also gave them a close source of information about the city. Good luck with the move.
Oct 18th, 2006, 08:09 AM
#36
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Just to elaborate a little on what Citylghts said about insurance, when we moved from Berwyn out to DuPage County, our car insurance dropped by half! You mentioned that you're 23. I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't insurance much higher for a male until age 25? I've gotten a quote and know that as soon as our 17 year old gets his license, our insurance is going to shoot back up over double what it is now. Of course, I have no idea what you're paying where you are now, so maybe this won't be as huge a factor for you.
Oct 19th, 2006, 08:47 AM
#38
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You got some GREAT advice.
After thinking about it for a few days and being in downtown Chicago yesterday, I really did give this some serious thought.
And I've decided that I was going to post almost exactly what flamingomonkey did. You will definitely need to live W, S, or SW from where you work. Any other commute would be life draining.
Countryside/Lagrange would work and sounds great for your sensibilities. That was my exact 1st pick too- just like flamingomonkey's.
Also thought that the Bridgeview, and Burbank areas would work and they might be more affordable. Do check those out.
And just for general knowledge. That area of the NW is not the only area/neighborhood that the cops and firemen habit the most within Chicago proper. Actually the edge of Chicago that butts upon Bridgeview and Burbank, plus the far South Mount Greenwood and Ashburn/Wrightwood areas are honestly 50 to 60% city workers, cops, and firemen. Most of which I feel like I am related to or know. LOL!
I am the only member of my immediate birth family that is NOT or never has been a City of Chicago employee. And we were/are if still alive, living today in Ashburn, except for myself. This area is predominantly Black as is Wrightwood, and is highly residential.
After thinking about it for a few days and being in downtown Chicago yesterday, I really did give this some serious thought.
And I've decided that I was going to post almost exactly what flamingomonkey did. You will definitely need to live W, S, or SW from where you work. Any other commute would be life draining.
Countryside/Lagrange would work and sounds great for your sensibilities. That was my exact 1st pick too- just like flamingomonkey's.
Also thought that the Bridgeview, and Burbank areas would work and they might be more affordable. Do check those out.
And just for general knowledge. That area of the NW is not the only area/neighborhood that the cops and firemen habit the most within Chicago proper. Actually the edge of Chicago that butts upon Bridgeview and Burbank, plus the far South Mount Greenwood and Ashburn/Wrightwood areas are honestly 50 to 60% city workers, cops, and firemen. Most of which I feel like I am related to or know. LOL!
I am the only member of my immediate birth family that is NOT or never has been a City of Chicago employee. And we were/are if still alive, living today in Ashburn, except for myself. This area is predominantly Black as is Wrightwood, and is highly residential.
